MISSION: Advance economic development in Dayton through cradle-to-career talent development.

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1 BUSINESS PLAN: NOTE: A NEW BUSINESS AND STRATEGIC PLAN IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED AND WILL BE STRUCTURED AROUND THE LUMINA FOUNDATION ATTAINMENT GOALS. WE WILL RELEASE THE NEW PLAN IN EARLY FOR MISSION: Advance economic development in Dayton through cradle-to-career talent development. VISION: All Dayton young people will be ready to learn when entering school and college and career ready when graduating from high school. Section I: Context Overview: Dayton needs to prepare young people for college and career The 21 st century is bringing changes in employment opportunities as the number of positions requiring some type of post-secondary education continues to grow. In 1973, one in three jobs required a post-secondary degree or credential; by 2018, the number will grow to two in three. In order to compete for the high-value, technology-oriented jobs being generated by business and industry today, Ohio and the Dayton Region must be able to supply a workforce that responds to employers needs for knowledge workers. Learn to Earn Dayton is committed to the development of such a workforce in the Dayton region by promoting cradle-to-career educational strategies to ensure that all young people are ready to learn when entering kindergarten and ready to earn after completing a post-secondary credential. Situation analysis: What we have in Dayton today In the Dayton region, there is an education gap between the required education level for available positions in the workforce and the actual education level of the average worker. Among the major urban areas in Ohio, only Toledo has a larger gap. The gap in Dayton is also larger than is evidenced at the national level. A key to mitigating the gap is to create an educational ripple that begins with the region s earliest learners and moves through the system to the point where students graduate collegeready and career-ready. At the present time, 35% of early learners are fully kindergarten-ready (as measured by Band 3 of Ohio s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Literacy). The ripple effect from only 35% of Dayton s early learners being ready-for-kindergarten is a mere 33% college graduation rate. If Dayton can significantly impact kindergarten readiness and other key indicators (e.g., third-grade reading proficiency), then there will be positive impact on college readiness, career readiness, and college graduation rates. Ohio, like most other states, is transitioning from a manufacturing economy to a knowledge economy. Manufacturing jobs have been declining in the Midwest since the 1960s (measured at 39%) until the present (12.4%). The industries and occupations emerging in the knowledge Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 1

2 economy are those that require some post-secondary education. For example, the fastestgrowing employment sectors are in the STEM occupations, education, healthcare, and technical occupations. There are a projected 1.7 million job vacancies in 2018; of those vacancies, more than half (967,000) are anticipated to require some type of post-secondary education. The rationale: What s at stake for the Dayton region? Today s new and expanding companies that are generating high-value jobs choose to locate where they can find a trained and skilled workforce. Those areas that can readily supply qualified workers reap the benefits of economic vitality and growth. They thrive and prosper. Thus, developing a highly educated workforce whose capabilities are aligned with the needs of employers in the 21 st -century economy underpins economic development strategies of the state of Ohio as well as the Dayton region. Dayton was recently named a hub of aerospace innovation and opportunity, a designation that has the potential to lead to 6,000 new industry jobs in the targeted growth areas of aerospace R&D, information technology, human science and healthcare, and aerospace manufacturing. Dayton must develop talent, especially in high-tech fields, to realize the positive impact of this designation. The stakes have never been higher. In Montgomery County of the 4,543 (yearly average) area high school graduates between 2003 and 2010, only 33% earned college degrees within 6 years of high school graduation. If this college completion rate continues, the gap between industry s needs for credentialed workers and the number of qualified workers from our region will widen, diminishing much-needed opportunities to grow the economy. The Dayton region has taken measures to address both of these issues, having created a vision and strategy for economic development to grow jobs and prosperity as well as a vision and strategy for talent development through clearly defined goals and indicators that will increase intellectual capital. While the programs that put these economic development and talent development initiatives in motion operate separately, Dayton s leadership is increasingly recognizing the potential value of integrating these activities at the strategy and advocacy levels to achieve optimum results. For example, if Dayton is able to increase by even 1 percent the number of college graduates within the 25- to 64-year-old age range, it will not only generate additional personal income each year (estimated by CEO s for cities at $600 million for the Dayton region), but also enhance the amount of creative capital available in the region for creating and sustaining jobs. In essence, Dayton s economic potential is tied to the availability of academic and intellectual talent. Even more important is strategically structuring regional efforts to help track young people toward occupational areas where job demand will exist. In essence, it is not enough to just enhance college graduation numbers unless the region can also strategically direct those graduates to secure degrees in areas of occupational demand. Dayton is recognized as a leader in its ability to foster collaboration among individuals, employers, and the pre-school-through-career (P-20) education system to address the community s education needs. While Learn to Earn Dayton is the only cradle-to-career advocate in the region, it has been joined in its efforts by the United Way of the Greater Dayton Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 2

3 Area and by the Montgomery County Family and Children s First Council (MCFCFC). The United Way has aligned its educational goals with those of Learn to Earn Dayton, thus providing a regional context for efforts to ensure kindergarten readiness and the college- and careerreadiness of Dayton s young people. Such alignment is extraordinarily important given the need to leverage limited assets in ways that maximize program impact. The time is right and the need is urgent to implement a robust plan that closely integrates strategy and advocacy with the work of educators and all the region s P-20 educational institutions. This work must be closely coordinated along all stages of individual development, from birth to career and beyond. Learn to Earn Dayton will fill this role. The facts: The need for more college graduates During , Learn to Earn Dayton collected data on the state of public education and college and career readiness among Montgomery County residents and within Ohio to determine the current situation and establish a baseline. The findings and their implications suggest the need for action: FACT: 35% of children in Montgomery County score in the highest band on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Literacy (KRA-L). The county s scores are consistently at the bottom of the list compared to other urbanized counties in Ohio. IMPLICATION: Ohio continues to have a relatively weak model for assessing kindergarten readiness. The KRA-L is the assessment protocol in place at the current time, and it reveals that only about one-third of the region s students are fully kindergarten-ready (Band 3 on the KRA-L) by the time they begin their schooling. The high-poverty school districts within the region (e.g., Dayton) have only about one in five students kindergarten-ready. Yet research indicates that to be reading-proficient in third grade, students need to be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten. Thus, it is not surprising that only about one of every two students in Dayton is reading at or above the third-grade proficiency level based on the Ohio Achievement Test. FACT: 78.2 % of Montgomery County third graders are reading proficient on the Ohio Reading Achievement Test; 36% of Ohio students are proficient on the fourth grade reading component of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is the higher standard used to compare U.S. students to international students and the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America s students know and can do in various subject areas. IMPLICATION: Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a crucial marker in a child s development. Failure to read proficiently is linked to higher rates of school dropout, which suppresses individual earning potential as well as the nation s competitiveness and general productivity (Source: Early Warning! Kids Count Special Report, Annie E. Casey Foundation, aecf.org). Also, one in six children who are not reading proficiently at third grade do not graduate from high school on time, a rate four Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 3

4 times higher than that for proficient readers (Source: Double Jeopardy, Hernandez, Annie E. Casey Foundation, aecf.org). FACT: 82.7% of high school seniors in Montgomery County in graduated. IMPLICATION: The Montgomery County graduation rates parallel those of the state of Ohio. The good news is that the graduation rates have become stronger over the past decade. Still, far too many students are failing to complete high school diplomas and evidence college readiness and career readiness. Montgomery County has performed better than some of the other urban counties in the State (e.g., Cuyahoga and Franklin), but the rates are still far too low. FACT: 34% of graduates in public high schools in Montgomery County go on to complete a college degree within six years. IMPLICATION: Over a three-year rolling average time period, 34% of graduates from the Dayton region s public high schools complete some sort of two- or four-year degree. The Lumina Foundation believes that to prosper, a region needs to have 60% of its 25- to 64- year-olds possess some sort of post-secondary credential by In essence, there is a significant gap between the degrees being produced and the degrees needed for economic viability. Some economists describe this as an education gap. They assert that an area with a significant education gap, which they are able to statistically calculate, will be an area unable to supply sufficient workers to meet job demand. Dayton, along with Cincinnati and Cleveland, have gaps too significant to ensure economic viability. In essence, Dayton simply has to produce more college graduates, especially in occupation and job areas where there will be workforce demand; Dayton currently is overproducing under skilled and under educated workers. FACT: 35.8% of Montgomery County residents between the ages of 25 and 64 possess some type of college degree. IMPLICATION: The Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation and other national foundations have clearly identified a link between the amount of education within a geographic region and the economic viability of that same region. Cities throughout the United States are now trying to identify ways to enhance the amount of intellectual capital available to meet job and occupational demands. In 1973, only one of every three jobs required a college education; by 2018, two of every three jobs will require a post-secondary credential. At the current time, the Dayton region has the right amount of intellectual capital for the world that existed in the 1970s but the wrong amount for the 21st century. The Lumina Foundation, which is dedicated exclusively to expanding students access to and success in postsecondary education, is working toward the goal of increasing the percentage of Americans who hold high-quality degrees and credentials to 60% by The history: How Learn to Earn Dayton evolved Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 4

5 Learn to Earn Dayton evolved from EDvention, an organization formed in 2007 to serve as a catalyst for educational reform in the Dayton region. EDvention successfully established infrastructures for STEM learning and early childhood education. It has represented the region at the state level and successfully conducted advocacy and strategy initiatives at both the state and local levels. EDvention has been the impetus for collaboration among multiple sectors, including early care and education, K-12, colleges and universities, business and industry, and local governments and civic/philanthropic organizations. The organization has demonstrated success in helping to launch important projects such as the Dayton Regional STEM Center. Learn to Earn Dayton has been in the formative stages from July 2010 through December Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 5

6 Section II: Mission and Goals The mission: What Learn to Earn Dayton will do Learn to Earn Dayton s mission is to advance economic development in the Dayton region through cradle-to-career talent development. The organization s vision calls for the Dayton region s young people to be ready to learn when entering school and ready to earn when graduating from high school. Learn to Earn Dayton strives to become a national leader in helping young people become college- and career-ready. Learn to Earn Dayton is not a program provider; rather, it acts as a facilitator that identifies and matches specific strategies with educational needs and then leverages available resources to support implementation. A plan has been created that identifies educational goals, performance indicators, key strategies for a variety of stakeholder groups (e.g., families, k-12 schools, business) in four age categories from birth to post-secondary training. Learn to Earn Dayton will systematically collect data on the plan s stated goals and indicators and work with schools, school districts, and community agencies to identify additional strategies that can impact the defined metrics. It is imperative for Dayton s young people to receive quality academic preparation that affords them choices in post-secondary programs of interest and the essential skills they need to pursue their choices successfully. To that end, Learn to Earn Dayton will introduce the expectation that college and career readiness must be required for every student in Montgomery County. This expectation is consistent with systemic educational reforms that are being put forward by the current Governor and legislature. Specifically, the Governor s reform package will focus on pre-k (dramatically improving kindergarten readiness), k-12 (reducing dropout rates and increasing high school graduation rates, college and career readiness, remediation free entry into college) and higher education (college credentials of value in the marketplace and increased college completion rates). In essence, Learn to Earn Dayton is operating under the assumption that the key to economic development is enhanced educational attainment. In addition, that economic development will be enhanced further if local efforts are leveraged against and through regional and state wide parallel initiatives. The goals: Best practices and Learn to Earn Dayton community metrics Learn to Earn Dayton is one of many cradle-to-career (C2C) programs that are being established around the United States. The most mature of the C2C efforts are found in Richmond, Virginia, Portland, Oregon, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Social scientists such as Mark Kramer have begun to clearly document the power of C2C aligned programs. In essence, the more mature initiatives have been able to align programs in ways that result in strong systems. Dayton is currently a program-rich community but it lacks systemic viability. Kramer and his colleagues have found that the communities that are able to move academic metrics such as those outlined below are those that are systems strong as well as program-rich. Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 6

7 Over the past year and a half Learn to Earn Dayton has begun to document where the community is in terms of student academic performance on selected academic indicators. Having assessed the current state of education in terms of preparing Montgomery County s young people for college and careers, Learn to Earn Dayton has established the following education goals for each of four age categories, from birth to college/post-secondary education: Birth to kindergarten: Early learners will be ready to learn when entering kindergarten. Kindergarten to 9 th grade: Students will be proficient in reading and math. 9 th grade through high school: Students will be ready to learn when graduating from high school. College/post-secondary: Young adults will be ready to earn with a college degree or career-ready credential. The chart in Attachment A provides a comprehensive view of Learn to Earn Dayton s plan with its various components, including goals, strategies, and performance indicators clearly identified. Outlined below are metrics for each of the power indicators: Indicators 1, 2, 3, and 4. An additional indicator has been added to reflect the overall goal of Learn to Earn Dayton, which is to significantly increase the number of young people who pursue and secure postsecondary credentials. Community Metrics Power Goals Key Indicators for Power Goals 2011 (actual) Kindergarten Readiness 2. 3 rd grade Reading Proficiency 1: Ready for kindergarten (See Note 1) 2: Proficient in reading (3 rd grade) (See Note 2) 36.6% 40% 45% 45% 77.0% 85.0% 90% 95% 3. Successful learning transitions 5: Successful Transition: 9 th -10 th grade* TBD TBD TBD TBD 4. College and career readiness 9: Enrolled in postsecondary program (See Note 3) 72.0% 75.0% 80.0% 80.0% Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 7

8 11: Earned post-secondary degrees** (See Note 4) 34.4% 35% 40% 50% * Successful transition from 9 th grade to 10 th grade requires that students earn at least five credits with at least one Math, one lab-based Science, and English 9. **Post-secondary degrees include all 2- and 4-year degrees as tracked in the National Student Clearinghouse database. There is currently no method to track the percentage of students who attain a license and/or certificate (i.e., something other than a traditional two or four year degree). The metrics in this table will be recalculated based on input from all the school districts in Montgomery County. The superintendents from the districts will put together district level metrics in the academic year and those will be aggregated into new community metrics for Montgomery County. The metrics provided above are suggestive of what the final metrics might entail. Note 1: Kindergarten readiness is currently operationally defined as band three performance on the KRA-L. Note 2: 3 rd grade reading proficiency is connected with Ohio s proposed 3 rd grade reading guarantee. Given that all 3 rd graders are required by law to be reading proficient the 100% goal by 2020 seems both rational and reasonable. Note 3: Post-secondary programs can include both degrees and credentials or military service. In essence, post-secondary programs are not just about two and four year degrees. These include any programs where students are expanding their personal and intellectual capital. Note 4: The goals for 2020 and 2025 are significantly higher because those will be the first classes where students have been compared with more of their work occurring under the expectations of the Common Core (to be implemented in 2014). The goals for 2020 will be for the high school graduating class of 2014; the 2025 goals for the class of Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 8

9 Section III: Key Strategies The how: Learn to Earn Dayton facilitated strategies Learn to Earn Dayton will facilitate education providers and nonprofits to work together to accomplish the community indicators. Learn to Earn Dayton will not provide direct service to students but will work with the providers currently in place to maximize their impact and effectiveness. Learn to Earn Dayton will provide focus for the community on the most promising indicators that will lead to an increase in the percentage of adults with postsecondary degrees. Learn to Earn Dayton will work alongside all partners (including school districts, charter schools, private/catholic schools, nonprofits, community/business leaders, and funders) to understand the challenges and opportunities facing students and educators. Learn to Earn Dayton will then identify research-based interventions that could positively impact student growth and work to implement these interventions in the region. Examples of potential strategies and interventions are listed below. STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING OVERALL EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT GOALS: 1. Create an awareness campaign that uses educational attainment (with a specific tagline to be developed) as a call to action to the region that communicates clearly the shortand long-term goals of Learn to Earn Dayton. 2. Identify strategies that improve kindergarten readiness and 3 rd grade reading proficiency rates of students who matriculate in any Montgomery County school. 3. Leverage existing assets to enhance the college and career readiness of all Montgomery County High School students 4. Work with current scholarship providers to enhance the success of their efforts to deal with college affordability issues. 5. Work with regional higher education institutions to foster curriculum alignment and college completion rates. INTERVENTIONS AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE SPECIFIC COMMUNITY GOALS AND INDICATORS: Goal 1: Ready to learn when entering kindergarten 1. Increase the quality of early learning a. Promote ongoing learning circles for preschool and kindergarten teachers to use child data to influence teaching and improve pre-literacy skills. (Launch in 2013) b. Increase the number of Star-Rated child care and preschool programs. (64 programs in July 2012; goal is 150 by end of 2015). c. Increase the number of schools and districts leading Community Coalitions. (6 districts leading efforts in July 2012; goal is 12 by end of 2015) d. Ensure accessibility of proven home visiting programs for children birth to age 5. Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 9

10 2. Increase the number of high-poverty four year olds in high-quality preschool/child care. a. Increase the number of 4-year olds in high-quality preschool/child care programs. (200 more children in high-quality preschool by end of 2015 Preschool Promise ) b. Explore innovative financing options such as the social impact bonds (end of 2013) 3. Build/maintain leadership core for early learning a. Advisory Cabinet (restructure with prek-3 rd alignment in 2013) b. Advocacy Forum ongoing legislator events) 4. Improve community awareness about the importance of early learning and kindergarten readiness. (Conduct campaigns connected aligned with third grade reading to promote the importance of preschool and early learning experiences-begin campaign by 2013) Goal 2: Proficient in 3 rd grade reading and mathematics Out-of-school strategies 1. Improve quality of summer programs a. Learning circles/training to summer providers (2013) b. Coordinated funding efforts for summer programs (2013) c. Connect existing resources (YMCA, Faith-based, schools, museums, libraries) for summer programs 2. Increase the number of high poverty children in summer programs a. Secure additional funding for research-based, quality summer programs (Summer 2014) b. Identify innovative ways to increase access to summer programs (Summer 2014) 3. Build leadership core of summer providers a. Map existing summer providers/assets and identify programs gaps In-school strategies 1. Reduce chronic absenteeism in prek-3 rd grade a. Analyze the student-level attendance data for districts across the county (December 2013) b. Train school attendance clerks to identify chronic absenteeism problems ( school year) c. Develop sustainable incentive programs to improve attendance (2014) d. Connect mentoring services with attendance support (2014) e. Launch campaign on student attendance (2014) 2. Support schools with research-based strategies a. Conduct Literacy conference. (March 2013) Goal 3: Ready to learn when graduating from high school 1. Coordinate end-of-course exams in Algebra 1 for the five highest-poverty districts in the school year and eventually all school districts and provide appropriate complementary professional development for teachers. (Initiated ) 2. Foster more dual enrollment courses for college credit. (Initiated ) Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 10

11 3. Foster professional development to teachers to ensure high school to college alignment throughout the curriculum, instruction, and assessment process. (Initiated ) 4. Identify and implement appropriate avoidance and acceleration learning models for use throughout the county. (Initiate ) 5. Foster strategies in high-poverty districts that enhance the success rates of students transitioning from 9 th to 10 th grade. (Initiate ) 6. Identify appropriate remediation services in high schools to reduce the number of developmental courses students take when they enter college. (Initiate ) Goal 4: Ready to earn with a college degree or career-ready credential 1. Create messaging campaign and communitywide culture that drives all high school students to enroll in post-secondary education degree programs. (Complete by January 2013) 2. Conduct focus groups with key stakeholders from underrepresented groups to determine what barriers exist to mitigate post-secondary enrollment. (Complete by August 2012) 3. Work with key stakeholders to offer college scholarships to maximize the number of students who pursue degrees. (On-going) 4. Create a countywide centralized scholarship web portal that enables students to do one stop shopping for college access and success information (e.g., on scholarships and loans) when pursuing college degrees. (Complete by January 2013) 5. Execute completion strategies (i.e., work with Completion by Design at Sinclair Community College) and foster completion counseling to help adults with prior learning experiences earn degrees. (On-going) 6. Create college within a college programs that focus on special adult populations that are underrepresented in terms of post-secondary degree attainment. (Proposed) 7. Work with employers to find ways to incentivize degree completion for employees that have some college but no college degree. (Initiate ) Learn to Earn Dayton will also work with funders to focus investments on proven strategies. The benefit of Learn to Earn Dayton is that the most effective programs and interventions can be implemented systematically across multiple districts, schools, and providers instead of only focusing on a small population. This systematic approach will maximize dollars invested in the community and encourage collaboration to benefit all students in the region. The what: What Learn to Earn Dayton will deliver The major indicators of Learn to Earn Dayton s success will be An increase in the percentage of students who are kindergarten ready. An increase in the reading proficiency rates of third graders. A reduction in the percentage of students who take developmental courses when entering college. Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 11

12 An increase in the percentage of students who enroll in college. An increase in the percentage of students who complete two or four year college degrees OR who possess some type of post-secondary credential of marketplace value. Learn to Earn Dayton is focused on the following specific deliverables: Phase 1 1. Vision and mission created for Learn to Earn Dayton. COMPLETED 2. Goals and indicators developed for the cradle-to-career continuum. COMPLETED 3. Multi-year data for 75% of the indicators secured. COMPLETED 4. Buy-in secured from all 16 school districts in Montgomery County. COMPLETED Phase year metrics computed for power goals and selected indicators (1, 2, 5, 9, and 11) based on districts input. COMPLETED 2. Data secured for 90% of the indicators. COMPLETED 3. Select funders from the Dayton region who wish to align with Learn to Earn Dayton goals and program efforts. IN PROGRESS 4. Messaging Campaign (Call to Action) initiated to significantly increase the performance of students for the Learn to Earn Dayton community indicators. COMPLETED BY JANUARY Research-based effective interventions to support the community metrics identified and implemented. IN PROGRESS 6. Business plan fully created for Learn to Earn Dayton. COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER Leadership Council and Executive Committee of the Leadership Council identified to be the face /champions of Learn to Earn Dayton. COMPLETED 8. Communication channels in place to publicly share data and community progress. IN PROGRESS Phase 3 1. Business plan implemented for Learn to Earn Dayton. SEPTEMBER Multi-year data secured for all goals and indicators. COMPLETED EXCEPT FOR INDICATORS 4 AND Research-based interventions and strategies identified for implementation in school districts. IN PROGRESS Phase 4 1. Common college completion messaging regarding post-secondary success adopted in the region. COMPLETED BY JANUARY Public policy agenda developed and in place to influence state and federal policy to support the cradle-to-career continuum. NEEDED Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 12

13 3. Student outcome data to drive investments and decisions regarding programming. NEEDED 4. Messaging campaign for kindergarten readiness and third grade reading. COMPLETED BY JANUARY Web portal for college access and success. COMPLETED BY JANUARY 2013 Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 13

14 The structure: How Learn to Earn Dayton is organized Learn to Earn Dayton will maintain relationships with partners established with EDvention and build new and/or more robust partnerships with organizations involved in talent development to fully operationalize key strategies across the P-16 continuum. Expanding the partner networks is necessary because EDvention was focused almost exclusively on STEM initiatives and early learning; Learn to Earn Dayton has a broader and more comprehensive reach with a cradle-to-career vision of preparing all young people to be college- and career-ready regardless of their academic interests. Partner networks are intended to be broad coalitions of strategic partners with the common interest of integrating projects, funding, training, agreed-upon initiatives, and priorities. The members of the partner networks will be vested in achieving the agreed-upon community education goals around kindergarten readiness, third grade reading, transition to high school, and college and career readiness. Partner networks currently engaged in the Learn to Earn Dayton effort include the early childhood providers and leaders, the United Way and neighborhood development groups, the Dayton Public Schools Neighborhood School Centers, parents and parent organizations, P-12 schools, school districts, higher education, and regional STEM organizations. Leadership Council: Board of Directors The leadership structure is headed by the Leadership Council of 30 representatives from all regional stakeholder segments; it provides strategic direction and leadership to Learn to Earn Dayton. The Leadership Council, which meets twice a year, will act as the policy body for Learn to Earn Dayton. It will be responsible for monitoring the progress of Learn to Earn Dayton relative to defined goals and indicators and will work to identify five-year indicator targets for 2015, 2020, and The Leadership Council will consist of individuals from all the different Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 14

15 stakeholder groups, including but not limited to education, business, regional policy leaders, philanthropic interests and the community at large. The board of directors was established March 1, Members will serve three-year terms (repeatable for one term). The Leadership Council will be chaired by the chair of the Dayton Business Committee. (See Appendix A) Leadership Council: Executive Committee An Executive Committee will be named and consist of 12 members representing the business community, P-12 education, higher education, early childhood education, and foundations. The individuals on the Executive Committee will also be a part of the Leadership Council. It will consist specifically of: the superintendent of Montgomery County Educational Service Center; one Superintendent (selected at large) from one of the Montgomery County public school districts; one representative from the early learning community; one representative from higher education; two representative from the philanthropic community; two representatives from county or city government; and four representatives from the business community ( at least one being a member of the Dayton Business Committee). This group, which will meet at least every two months, will establish strategic direction and work with the executive director and the director of ReadySetSoar to identify key strategies for enhancing educational programming in the region relative to the defined goals and indicators. (See Attachment I for list of proposed names and titles.) The Executive Committee was established March 1, The group will be chaired by the superintendent of the Montgomery County Educational Service Center. Staff The staff will be responsible for leveraging regional assets relative to Learn to Earn Dayton goals and will work with the partner network stakeholders to create the desired change and achieve performance targets and deliverables. The following staff positions are being/will be filled by individuals selected for their distinctive credentials and demonstrated capabilities: Executive director, Learn to Earn Dayton The Learn to Earn Dayton executive director needs to possess a comprehensive understanding of the current performance of young people in Montgomery County relative to defined goals. He or she also needs to be able to understand how to leverage available assets in order to impact programs that will enhance student performance on the defined indicators and goals. Director, ReadySetSoar The director will lead the diverse stakeholders in the early childhood community and will prioritize the needs within the early learning community. The director will have a close working relationship with presidents and directors of early learning programs, nonprofit organizations serving young children, K-12 schools, and business and community leaders. The director will lead the community to identify the most effective ways to improve kindergarten readiness and 3 rd grade reading proficiency. Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 15

16 Associate Director, Third Grade Reading The third grade reading initiative will focus on summer slide and student attendance. The associate director will oversee, in collaboration with Montgomery County school districts efforts to enhance third grade reading proficiency. Assistant Director, STEM The assistant director for STEM must be aware of all the different STEM assets in the region and should be able to identify how to leverage those resources in ways that increase students involvement in STEM activities and the likelihood to pursue a post-secondary STEM degree. This position is still being developed in conjunction with STEM providers throughout the region. Assistant Director, Learn to Earn Dayton The assistant director for Learn to Earn Dayton will interface community assets through the United Way and appropriate service providers with the needs of students in Montgomery County. He or she also needs to be able to work with high schools to identify issues that improve student success in accessing or completing a college degree and must be in a position to work with area educational institutions in ways that enhance each student s ability to pursue a post-secondary degree. Communications Director, Learn to Earn Dayton The communications director will be responsible for controlling and overseeing all of the messaging regarding Learn to Earn Dayton and will also assist in putting together reports and documents to inform the community about the progress of the Learn to Earn Dayton initiative. Data Manager, Learn to Earn Dayton The data manager will be responsible for the collection and management of data regarding the goals and indicators set forth by Learn to Earn Dayton. Where possible and appropriate the data manger will also statistically analyze data to determine and measure program impact. Program Manager, ReadySetSoar The program manager will provide oversight for ReadySetSoar programs focused on improving kindergarten readiness, and will assist with grant-writing and fund development. The program manager will lead teams to accomplish goals and will communicate with a diverse group of stakeholders. Administrative Assistant, Learn to Earn Dayton The administrative assistant will work with all program staff to ensure that program operations are efficiently and effectively implemented. Graduate Assistant, ReadySetSoar The graduate assistant will provide administrative and programmatic support for the ReadySetSoar initiatives. Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 16

17 Section IV: Funding and Sustainability The funding: How Learn to Earn Dayton will be funded and sustained Learn to Earn Dayton is currently supported through The Dayton Foundation, The Tait Foundation, the Montgomery County Educational Service Center, the Mathile Family Foundation, and in-kind support from the University of Dayton. ReadySetSoar is currently funded with private and public dollars, with primary investments from the Montgomery County Family & Children First Council and the Frank M. Tait Foundation, as well as supporting dollars from PNC. Current Funding (Personnel and Operations): Learn to Earn Dayton Montgomery County Educational Service Center 60,000 60,000 30,000 University of Dayton Inkind Inkind Inkind The Dayton Foundation (discretionary funds) 5,000 5, Thomas B. Fordham Foundation --- 7, The Dayton Foundation (grant) , ,000 The Mathile Family Foundation , Alliance for Education ,000 ReadySetSoar FY11 FY12 FY13 Montgomery County FCFC 100, , ,000 The Frank M. Tait Foundation 100, , ,000 PNC 25, Montgomery County Educational Service Center 18,000 18,000 20,000 Alliance for Education ,000 Annual Totals: 308, , ,000 Aggregated Revenues: 308, ,500 1,188,500 Note: Office space and general office support is currently provided by University of Dayton, the Dayton Foundation, and Montgomery County Educational Service Center. University of Dayton also provides in-kind support by serving as the fiscal agent for Learn to Earn Dayton and ReadySetSoar. Through June 30, 2014, Learn to Earn Dayton will be an initiative housed at the University of Dayton, with the University of Dayton as the fiscal agent. Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 17

18 Projected Funding Needs (Personnel and Operations) Learn to Earn Dayton & ReadySetSoar FY 2012 FY2013 FY2014 FY2015 Personnel Salary Executive Director, Learn to Earn 100, , , ,272 Administrative Assistant, Learn to ,500* 46,350 47,740 Earn Director, ReadySetSoar 85,000 87,550 90,176 92,881 Associate Director, Third Grade ,000* 75,000 85,000 Reading Director, Communications ,000* 51,500 53,045 Assistant Director, STEM Inkind Inkind Inkind Inkind Assistant Director, Learn to Earn ,000* 46,350 47,740 Dayton Program Manager, ReadySetSoar 55,000 30,000 61,800 63,654 Graduate Assistant, ReadySetSoar 28,000 28,840 29,705 30,596 Benefits Executive Director, Learn to Earn 42,100 44,084 45,990 48,610 Administrative Assistant, Learn to --- 9,630 20,093 21,237 Earn Director, ReadySetSoar 35,785 37,471 39,091 41,318 Associate Director, Third Grade ,960 32,513 37,812 Reading Director, Communications ,700 22,325 23,597 Assistant Director, STEM Inkind Inkind Inkind Inkind Assistant Director, Learn to Earn ,840 20,093 21,237 Dayton Program Manager, ReadySetSoar 23,155 25,680 26,790 28,316 Graduate Assistant, ReadySetSoar 11,788 12,344 12,877 13,611 General Operations Purchased Services Data analysis 4,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 Technical/design/Website ,000 10,000 10,000 Marketing 12,000 50,000 30,000 30,000 Convening costs 1,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 Operational Travel, training, mileage 2,500 5,000 5,000 5,000 Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 18

19 Office supplies 1,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 Printing 1,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 Office rent Inkind Inkind Inkind Inkind Miscellaneous 2,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 Total 404, , , ,666 Aggregated Total Expenses: 404,328 1,126,087 1,922,830 2,758,496 * Position to be staffed effective January 1, Start-up Funding Model During the start-up phase of Learn to Earn Dayton ( ) funders will make a commitment to participate in a tiered funding model, with four levels of giving and with funders provided the opportunity to make a total commitment at one of four levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze. The fiscal agent will be the University of Dayton. The funding levels for potential funders are listed below. Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Total commitment of 300,000 over three years Total commitment of 200,000 over three years Total commitment of 100,000 over three years Total commitment of 25,000 over three years The tiered funding model will be used to provide long-term sustainability for operations for Learn to Earn Dayton and ReadySetSoar. Key businesses and foundations will be invited to invest in the Learn to Earn Dayton framework with annual commitments consistent with Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze giving levels. Sustainability Funding Model ( ) A sustainable funding model for Learn to Earn Dayton will be dictated by the degree to which Learn to Earn Dayton is able to achieve the defined goals and metrics as set forth in this plan. That is, by June 30, 2015 Learn to Earn Dayton must evidence significant growth in the following performance metrics in order to pursue continued funding, and the success will be measured on annualized progress relative to each of the goals and indicators (i.e., there must be an positive change for each performance indicator for each year, with the possible exception of the final indicator over which Learn to Earn Dayton has little or no control until approximately 2018). An increase in the percentage of students who are kindergarten ready. An increase in the reading proficiency rates of third graders. Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 19

20 A reduction in the percentage of students who take developmental courses when entering college. An increase in the percentage of students who enroll in college. An increase in the percentage of students who complete two or four year college degrees OR who possess some type of post-secondary credential of marketplace value. With positive progress on each of the performance metrics, Learn to Earn Dayton will seek to permanently house itself within one of the existing regional community assets that is focused on intellectual capital development and economic viability such as the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, the Dayton Development Coalition, the Dayton Foundation or a similar entity that shares an interest in fostering economic viability through enhanced educational attainment. At that point the funding model will change from a tiered system to a partnership strategy ( ) with regional educational, business, and corporate partners actively participating through annualized membership fees based on a variety of factors such as size and institutional level of benefit. A step by step process for evolving Learn to Earn Dayton to a permanent organizational home will be developed by the time of the public launch in January The process will outline the specific transitional steps and structures to be put in place to ensure program continuity. Learn to Earn Dayton Business Plan Page 20